How to Remove Catalytic Converter and Replace With Straight Pipe

How to remove catalytic converter and replace with straight pipe is what this discussion is all about today! While you might find plenty of YouTube videos sharing perfect tutorials, you also need to keep a step-by-step note of what you learn.

You might not know this, but catalytic converters have been present in all light trucks and cars from the mid 1970’s.

You will find that the clean gasses going out through the pipe after the catalytic converter of your vehicle cleans the dirt. If your catalytic converter stops working, your vehicle will start having several problems. It will fail to go through an emission test because of too much pollution coming out from the pipe. Moreover, it will start running very poorly.

First, you have to check the catalytic converter through a straight test pipe to make sure that it has failed. The catalytic converter is expensive, so it is essential to test it once before replacing it permanently. Now, if you find the car is running well with that test pipe without the catalytic converter then it is time to replace your old catalytic converter with a new one.

You should know the right steps if you want to remove the catalytic converter perfectly and fix a straight pipe in place of it to test the catalytic converter.

Here, we will provide information about how to remove catalytic converter and replace with straight pipe in this article. If you want to know more about removing catalytic converter and replacing with straight pipe, you must read our article till last.

How to remove catalytic converter and replace with straight pipe

You should know how to remove catalytic converter and replace with straight pipe properly. There are several steps in this process and they are as follows:

1. Firstly, you have to find a level surface and park your car. Use a hydraulic jack to raise your car. Then, you have to put all the jack stands below the car’s every corner. Support the jack stands in your car completely before lowering the hydraulic jack.
2. If you were driving the car before parking, the catalytic converter must be very hot. So, you have first to allow the car to cool down for some time.
3. You have to carry an adjustable wrench and some penetrating fluid with you. Then crawl down yourself under the car. Spray the fluid on the catalytic converter of your car. Then wait for a minimum of fifteen minutes since the fluid takes some minutes to start working.
4. After that, take an adjustable wrench and move it counterclockwise to loosen the catalytic converter’s mounting bolts. Then, take off the bolts and keep those away. After that, take down the catalytic converter slowly. You have to become very careful while taking down the catalytic converter. Now keep it with you if you can repair it in the future and use it.
5. You have to buy a test pipe from auto parts stores. Put the test pipe in the vacant space of the catalytic converter. Use your hand to twist and properly fix the pipe.
6. Then you have to put the mounting bolts inside holes and use that adjustable wrench and move it in a clockwise direction to make the bolts tight.
7. Now, take out your car and take off the stands of the jack. Put down the hydraulic jack, keep it in the ground before removing the hydraulic jack.

How to change a catalytic converter yourself

We have already mentioned how to remove catalytic converter and replace with straight pipe above.

A catalytic converter is a key component of your car. If you find it fails to work. You can also change a catalytic converter yourself without calling any mechanics in the same way.

It is always good to work yourself, if you can, in your car. In addition, if you know the steps, you can change the catalytic converter on your own urgent need when no mechanics are available around you.

You will understand the emergency of changing the catalytic converter when you find your car is moving roughly and the decrease in the gas mileage. In addition, you may get a bad smell or rattling noise from your car’s exhaust.

If you have a new car, replacement of your catalytic converter with a  new one will be very costly for you. In contrast, if you have an older car, replacement of your catalytic converter with a new one is reasonable.

However, the labor cost is not much for the catalytic converter replacement since it takes less than an hour to repair. But if your manufacturer is OEM, you need more time to replace the catalytic converter. If you have all the tools required for your car’s catalytic converter replacement, you can try repairing it on your own and save the labor’s money.

Follow our steps to get it done effectively. But you have to do it in a very careful and confident way. If you fail, it may put you at risk of causing a fire in your car.

You must know the reasons that cause the catalytic converter’s failure in your car. It can be a severe issue in your car engine, spent spark plugs, or coolant leaks which cause your car to become excessive heat and your car fails gradually. In addition, soot can cause the bad performance of your engine and potholes can also cause damage to your car.

You will get to know by the engine light if any problem happens in the car. The engine light will warn you about the damage in the car. But it can be any other problem too than the catalytic converter problem.

You have to work under your car while repairing the catalytic converter, so you must wear your eye safety glasses for protection, or else dirt may enter your eye and cause severe eye problems.

If you are changing the car’s catalytic converter yourself, make sure you have specialized equipment. The things you need will include:

• Socket and Ratchet set
• Penetrating oil
• Catalytic converter replacement
• Oxygen sensor socket
• Jack stands

How to replace catalytic converter without welding

Are you curious to know about the catalytic converter replacement without welding? Well, yes, you can do the replacement without any worry. We are helping you with the process. Use sleeves and clamps to replace your catalytic converter. But you have to be very much sure about no leaks. If you are not sure about the leaks, you can have at least one welded.

Catalytic converter replacement pipe

It would help if you changed the catalytic converter with an original straight pipe to check whether the actual problem is with the catalytic converter or not.  If you think your car’s catalytic converter needs to be replaced, test it once before replacing it with a straight pipe. If you find that your car is running well with the straight pipe, you must replace the catalytic converter with a new one.

But if you find the car is not running properly even after changing the old catalytic converter with a straight pipe, then there is no problem with your catalytic converter. The actual problem is in some other parts of your car.

The testing part is important because the price of a new catalytic converter is very high. It would help if you did not buy a new catalytic converter until you become sure that the problem is in the catalytic converter of your car. It is for your surety you need to replace the catalytic converter with a straight pipe for checking.

You should first measure the dimension of the pipe before buying so that it fits well in the place of a catalytic converter in your car. If you don’t measure properly, you will not get a suitable product. This will make waste both money and time. An original, straight, solid, well-fitted pipe is what you need. The role of the straight pipe is essential for you to understand the car’s catalytic converter problem.

If you don’t use any pipe or test before buying a new catalytic converter, after buying a new one, you may face the same problem because you did not know that the problem was somewhere else before.

It will waste your huge amount of money. Moreover, you have to call the mechanic again and check all the other parts of the car. Despite buying a new expensive catalytic converter, you are still not relieved. So, you must know about the actual problem of your car before spending anything on it.

Replace catalytic converter with flex pipe

If you want to replace your catalytic converter with flex pipe then you have to know in detail about the flex pipe. Flex pipe is a flexible, well-performed pipe on which you can rely upon. But if it breaks down or wears out, you may face a severe problem with your car. So, you have to think before buying a flex pipe.

Your car’s exhaust system and the engine get connected through the flex pipe. It is also known as the exhaust flex pipe. The malleable, strong materials such as steel alloy are mostly used to make flex pipe.

A flex pipe can absorb your car’s vibration during your car driving. It can transport the exhaust gasses too. In addition, it also protects other parts of the exhaust system from shaking very much.

Your flex pipe may get damaged, and leaks can form in the pipe due to the shake or bump of your car. If it ever happens, the engine gasses will come out from the flex pipe leaks. You may also get loud noises due to the pipe leakage.

You must change the damaged flex pipe because it may cause difficulty in your driving and affect the other parts of your car. Though there is no problem in driving a car with a damaged flex pipe, you should not drive to avoid many risks and damages. While driving, the damaged flex pipe can hang from your car and drag on the road’s surface, causing noise and sparks too.

You can replace the damaged flex pipe with a new pipe yourself. You can save some of your money by doing the job yourself. But you should have the appropriate parts, skills, and tools for repairing on your own. If you don’t know the repair process, you must call a professional technician. If you call an experienced mechanic to handle the replacement of a damaged flex pipe, it will not take you more than an hour.

You will get a variety of flex pipes in the stores. But you have to select the best one for your car. You must measure the dimension of the pipe to understand whether it will fit in your exhaust system or not. Moreover, you must also know about the material of the flex pipes.

You will get a lot of flex pipes made of steel alloy in the market. But you can select between the best stainless steel-made flex pipe and aluminized steel-made flex pipe. Stainless steel-made flex pipe protects your system against rust, whereas aluminized flex pipe will save your system’s weight. You have to choose the most suitable one for your car.

If you know the exact steps of removing the catalytic converter from your car, you will be able to do the job efficiently. Use the pipe which you will find suitable for your car system as a replacement. Follow our steps to complete the work perfectly. We have provided details about how to remove catalytic converter and replace with straight pipe in this article. Hopefully, our information about how to remove catalytic converter and replace with a straight pipe will come to your help.